What’s happening in the world of shipping: UPS Saturday ground delivery and the Circle of Honor

Mailing Solutions, Equipment, & Software | Pitney Bowes

What’s happening in the world of shipping: UPS Saturday ground delivery and the Circle of Honor

In this week’s installment of news in the shipping and mailing world, we’re taking a look at UPS® starting Saturday ground delivery, Maersk testing blockchain to track cargo and UPS honoring a number of its drivers for over 25 years of accident-free driving.

Starting in April, UPS will be accepting and delivering ground packages in certain metropolitan areas.
By Chinny Ogbuagu

UPS launching Saturday ground delivery in major metropolitan markets – USA TodayStarting in April, UPS will be accepting and delivering ground packages in certain metropolitan areas. Customers will now be able to receive packages on Monday that were picked up and sorted over the weekend. Saturday ground service will reach more than half of U.S. residents in 2017, and is expected to continue expanding into 2018.

Because packages picked up on Saturday can be delivered on Monday, UPS resources and network capacity will be freed up in the early part of each week. “That expands our delivery capacity with no incremental capital investment,” said CEO David Abney. “It also maintains the flexibility to take advantage of new opportunities that come our way.”

The world’s largest shipping company trials blockchain to track cargo – Technology ReviewDanish shipping giant Maersk announced that they successfully tested the use of blockchain to keep track of shipments as they cross seas. Ibrahim Gokcen, chief digital officer for Maersk Transport & Logistics, explained, “We believe blockchain has a huge potential for supply chain applications. We don’t think it’s yet ready for prime-time fully, and that’s why we’re exploring, piloting in different use cases, to really understand what are the initial applications of blockchain.”

Currently, a single container traveling from East Africa to Europe might require paperwork to be dealt with by as many as 30 different people, across more than 200 interactions. Maersk is working with IBM to try to use blockchain to cut down on paperwork and allow customs officials and clients to be able to see where goods are at all times.

UPS honors drivers with 25+ years of safe driving records - ABCDriving accident-free for 25 years is no small feat, but UPS recently inducted 1,575 new drivers into their “Circle of Honor,” a nod to drivers with 25 or more years of safe driving. There are now 9,349 active Circle of Honor members, which amounts to an astounding 14 billion miles of safe driving. The Circle of Honor is not just for bragging rights, however. Drivers receive a glass plaque etched with their name, a special black leather jacket and a badge for their uniform. Plus, there’s a large celebration for drivers and families, complete with cake and balloons.

“We like to make a big deal of it because this is something that needs to be recognized,” said Trisha Letourneau, UPS northwest district communications representative. “If you think about it, most companies rarely have employees that have worked 25 years, but we have drivers that have been on the road every day, hundreds of miles, without one accident. That is pretty amazing.”